Schistosoma haematobium infection in the opossum (Didelphis marsupialis): involvement of the urogenital system.
Investigations of experimental schistosomiasis haematobia have suffered for want of satisfactory mammals in which schistosome infections would establish host-parasite situations more or less comparable with those seen in man. As a consequence, mammals representing different major groups have been exposed to infection by Schistosoma haematobium (Iran strain) to determine their potential use as models for more detailed investigations. In preliminary studies, 8 American opossums (Didelphis marsupialis) were exposed to 1000 or 2000 cercariae. Macroscopic involvement of the urogenital tract was noted in 3 animals, one of which had a 1-cm fibrous plaque in the bladder. In another animal, multiple transitional cell papillomas were present in the bladder and in one ureter.
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D009893:Opossums; D010212:Papilloma / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D012548:Schistosoma haematobium; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000473:pathology; D014565:Urogenital Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D014566:Urogenital System / Q000473:pathology; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000473:pathology